To finish up this set of train related app reviews, I turn to Ticket to Ride Pocket and Ticket to Ride Pocket Europe from Days of Wonder. These games are the digital adaptation of the popular board games, with the same names. I had not played the board games so I learned by playing the apps. After going through the tutorial and playing a game or two I got the games downs. Bottom line — very enjoyable and worth the investment.

One of my favorite types of games for iOS is board games. The Ticket to Ride series has been out for some time and has gotten great reviews. Since both games are built on the same overall game play I decided to put them in one review.

Ticket to Ride Pocket has you working on the railroad here in the USA and you can purchase the USA 1910 expansion, while Ticket to Ride Europe has you going across Europe and comes with a Switzerland expansion you can purchase.

Both games come with 4 different playing modes: solo, pass-and-play, local (via Wi-Fi), and multiplayer (via Game Center). They also come with a Hall of Fame section for the high scores in the various game modes and an Achievement section where your trophies (like 3 punched tickets) are recorded. There are over 20 achievements you can earn. There is also a nicely explained and illustrated help section. I have been primarily playing the solo games. When you select solo you will setup your character and then choose up to 4 other computer opponents to play against. You can also turn on/off the tutorial too.

The goal of the game is to build the best railroad(s) before the game ends. To build your railroad you need to claim routes on the map by match the train cards you have in your hand with the route colors. When the game begins you will have some tickets in your hand which have a specific route highlighted. You will want to work on creating that route so you can get your ticket punched and earn more points. If you do not, then you will lose points.

The game gets fun and interesting when you try to figure out what routes you want and also how you can block or hinder your opponents as they work on their routes. Play continues until one player has 2 train or less left-this is indicated by the player icon in the game. I equate it to the number of turns left, but that is just me. As I am writing this up, I am not sure if I am doing the game justice or not. This is a great game and I cannot explain every component of it. I do want you the reader to know that I think the game is worth the few dollars investment.

The graphics and game play are excellent. You can save a game and come back to it if you need to. The maps might look a bit crowded on a smaller screen but there is pinch to zoom if you need it. I had no trouble with it on my iTouch. I would not call it a fast game either. As I mentioned earlier both games have the same general game play but Ticket to Ride Europe includes some new components such as tunnels, stations, and ferries. So if you are looking for a family friendly, strategy based electronic board game, I highly recommend the Ticket to Ride series.